21410 US-411 High Spring, FL About the Santa Fe canoe outpost Santa Fe Canoe Outpost is located on the banks of the Santa Fe River in historic High Springs, Florida. This region, where Alachua, Columbia and Gilchrist Counties meet, is just south of where the river reappears after running two miles under ground through O'Leno State Park. The Outpost is located just 25 minutes from Gainesville and the University of Florida. Santa Fe Canoe Outpost offers fully outfitted canoe, kayak, stand-up paddle board (SUP) and camping trips -- or bring your own. They pick you up and bring you back (and do all the heavy lifting). Its one of Florida's most beautiful and pristine rivers. Depending on how far you choose to go, you may pass by such famous, crystal-clear springs as Poe, Lily, Rum Island, Blue, Devil's Eye and Ginnie. The slow moving pace of the Santa Fe makes the trip peaceful. The abundant wildlife, unique flora and crystal clear springs make the trip adventurous. You can see many turtles , birds and gators. One can go swimming, snorkeling but after seeing the gators forget it for me. Canoe Outpost can supply you with everything from ice to detailed maps. After 3 hours of being in the kayak I was pooped. Make sure you bring water and a hat. read more

Business is closed. No answer at phone number. There is no kayak shuttle available in the area.

I couldn't be more pleased with the good people at Santa Fe river Outpost. We did 35miles, 4 days & 3 nights on the Sante Fe Camping along the way. They were very kind and knowledgeable. Read a couple reviews and let me stress the Sante Fe isn't the lazy river at your local water park. If you're expecting Disney and luxury vans you're in the wrong place. There's muck, there's smells and there's things that will spook ya but you'll love it! That being said if don't lack common sense and actually listen to their advice even a novice should have lots of fun. read more

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I usually go kayaking once a year during the summer. This time I went to Santa Fe Canoe a outpost and I was pleased with my experience. My friend set up a reservation but as usual people dropped out and the guys were so flexible with us. They provided us with a map to follow the path. It was very easy to use and was an accurate representation of the river. The path was supposed to take three hours to do the whole path, but we did it in two and a half. We actually cruised most of the path since we were going with the current. The guys picked us up exactly at 1pm and loaded everything in, in a decent amount of time. I would definitely go with them again. read more

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Never again. The staff do not know what they are doing. They were unable to clearly explain where to stop to get picked up from the river. Once we figured that part out, they had us waiting indefinitely saying they couldn't specify when we would get picked up. We had a friend pick us up after waiting an hour. When we came back there were 5 workers sitting there doing nothing and they had the nerve to get mad saying we couldn't leave the kayaks unattended. Would not recommend to anyone. read more

Caution - ownership has recently changed hands (2022). We called to confirm canoe availability on Saturday and were told to be there before 2 p.m to rent the same day. We arrived at 1:45 (driving 90 miles to get there with current high gas prices) only to be told that there wasn't enough time for a trip, but we could come back the next day. They admitted they in fact told us being there by 2 p.m. would be fine, but then they said that the trip would put us too close to 5 pm when they had to close their gate. No accommodation for misinformation. Too bad! We've rented from the former owner several times and recommended it to friends. We won't be going back and are letting our friends know about the change. read more

Campers blasting music out of speakers. Even the staff was blasting music out of their golf cart. Almost ruins it if you just want to listen to nature. Not peaceful. Total shame because the place would be paradise without all the noise. read more

Rented kayaks from this place to paddle down the Santa Fe with a friend- we did the route that passed Poe and Lily springs with a pickup at Rum Island. I'd never explored the coldwater springs of north Florida before, so this was a treat! We were outfitted with kayaks, oars, life jackets, and a map of the river. The man who helped us gave us a thorough explanation of what to look for as markers along the river for how to gauge our distance and how much time we would have to get from start to finish. We paid $30 each, and it was totally worth it. It was a gloomy day to start, but got brighter and warmer as we went... we were the only 2 people kayaking the river that day, and it was the coolest!! Just kayaking down the river itself was amazing... there were so many, many turtles all over the place sunning themselves on roots and rocks, and we saw some beautiful birds as well. The spanish moss hanging down from the trees was just like out of a movie, and the water was so still at some points it was like a glass reflection of all the beauty around us. At the time that we went, Poe was under reconstruction and looked a little like an abandoned wasteland. Lily was small and dark, and we met Ed the nude hermit, who was actually thankfully wearing jeans that day. We didn't go swimming here either. Rum Island was nice-- the springhead showed up bright blue and clear, and the water was fine. I'd definitely recommend this outfitting company if you want to take a relaxing paddle down the Santa FE and don't have your own gear. read more

This was our first adventure stop after driving down from Buffalo, NY. The outfitter was GREAT -- really welcoming, funny, informative --- with many maps of the Sante Fe River handy, even explaining Naked Ed as the nudist who has a hut along the river (which we did pass and venture into, but Ed wasn't there!). We had our own kayaks, so we just ended up paying for the drop off service, but I would have happily given these guys more money. They helped make our adventure that much more fun by giving plenty of awesome suggestions on where to go and how to plan our route. If you're considering kayaking along the Sante Fe --- do it! Use this outpost / outfitter and have a blast. The Sante Fe River is one of the only rivers that naturally disappears and reappears later on. It's quite a feat to come to the "end of the river," only to notice the force of the springs and water. Great paddle -- lots of turtles and wild life along the way (usually you won't see gators here, but sometimes you may). Can't wait to come back! read more

I've paddled the Santa Fe river more than a few times and have always enjoyed it. There are many springs along the way as well as trees to climb and ropes to swing from. Take the whole day and take your time to explore. Pack a lunch and pull over along the picturesque shore for a picnic. If it gets too hot jump in the cool water. The outpost supplies everything you need to get going, boats/vests/paddles etc. They know the river well and will help you plan your trip and pick you up when you are done to shuttle you back to your car. It is a great experience of "real" Florida. BTW... the nudist's name is "Ed". He lives in a little hut near Lilly spring (I think) and although he encourages nudity he is decent enough to wear a little loin cloth. He isn't shy to let you know you can skinny dip in his spring if you want to! He is a friendly guy and seems pretty harmless. Defiantly part of the experience!! read more

We did the 15 mile day trip and it was AWESOME! There was a small storm that popped up and we hunkered down at Lilly Springs to wait for it to pass. It was a great day otherwise, we saw 3 deer, 3 alligators and more turtles than you could count. We went on a Tuesday and we had the whole river nearly to ourselves. I think we will be back! read more

Santa Fe Canoe Outpost - Parks Near Me - High Springs, Florida

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We had a great day on the river, but was not super impressed with this outpost. The check in lady was fine, gave us a map and told us where to go, but made sure to tell us, "Next time, make sure you call first. I have to call my boss to see if we even have a boat." #1, there were stacks of boats in the yard and #2 Its a Tuesday morning...we were fairly certain they could handle us. We got to Rum Island 30 minutes early and tried calling them multiple times and no one ever answered. The shuttle was 10 minutes late & driver literally never spoke a word to us, just started gathering our gear like he was mad. The van smelled like mold or mildew and the A/C didn't work. Neither employee acted like they cared one bit about our business and we will try another rental place next time. read more

Let's go kayaking...he said. It will be fun...he said. Til the gigantic snake fell from the tree into my kayak, and I screamed like the girl I am and tipped it over. Then the snake swam between my knees, and I almost went into heart failure. However, this is not the fault of the kayak rental guy who was very nice and very knowledgeable, and my friend did warn me that I should probable steer clear of the trees because there might be snakes. At the end of the 4 1/2 trip, I had accidentally drifted too far, and in a push to turn the kayak around to get to the landing, I bumped some trees near the shore. That's when Mr. black watersnake (who was really a bigg'un) decided he needed a ride back to the dock. So my review is: kayaks: yes! This rental place: yes! Beautiful turtles, cranes, even hawks to be seen: all yes. Big black snakes the size of a kitchen sink pipe? NOOOOO...But I would still do the whole trip again if I had it do over. It was pretty cool. read more

Rental floats are overpriced and there are no life guards around. If you keep going down the river it becomes difficult to steer to the last exit and there is no one to come help you. There should be posted lifeguards or a barrier near the exit so people do not float away. read more

The people here are so hospitable and easy to work with. They explained everything perfectly well and made this outing so much better! The river is beautiful with wildlife everywhere. Definitely will be returning. read more

We've kayaked with these guys 3-4 times and the service has always been outstanding. They have kayaks and canoes. You get a map to decide where you want them to pick you up and when. We typically kayak 7 miles from their shop to Rum Island. Yesterdays trip was the first time my 9 & 11 year olds kayaked in their own boat. They had smaller ones for them. We also were provided with some rope in case someone got tired and needed a tow. They never did! Beautiful river. Make sure to stop by Lily springs and meet "Naked" Ed Watts! read more

Rented kayaks from here with my bf and a friend on our summer vacation. I grew up in North Central Florida but had never really explored the Santa Fe River, so I was happy to get a chance. The guys at the outpost will outfit you with boats, life jackets, and paddles, then drop you off at one of several different spots on the river. We decided on a four mile paddle past Poe Springs and Lilly Springs to Rum Island -- very scenic and peaceful, with stops to swim in the chilly spring water and commune with local nudist hermits (not making that up). At the end of the trip they pick you up and bring you back to your car at the outpost. I think the day rental for three kayaks, pick-up and drop-off service came to just over $100 for the three of us -- not bad at all. I'm definitely interested in some of their overnight trip options, too. read more

I had been here 20 years ago, and finally made it back. People are great, and helpful. River was up, and river has not disappointed for its beauty!! Great experience with the Santa Fe River Canoe outpost. Will definitely go back!! read more

Don't let the exterior foul ya! I'm a very modern guy, but we come here for the nature! They have courteous and knowleable staff! I brought with me a small cooler and it would not fit in my assigned boat, yet hey located one that would fit it! Our reservation was okay and pickup was spot on! Highly recommended them! Simple and to the point! read more

Great adventure! My fiancee and I did this one weekend and had a great time. We saw probably a hundred turtles and at least 3 alligators. For the most part, we were the only ones around, but did see others here and there. We did the 7 mile trip from the Outpost to Rum Island. Definitely a worthwhile outing if you're in the area. read more

Santa Fe Canoe Outpost - Map of Santa Fe River - Parks Near Me - High Springs, Florida

Love kayaking. this place makes doing so easy. Staff is really nice. Definitely worth giving a try.

Great trip and friendly staff. They were super informative and as a last minute adventure, we enjoyed every second! We can't wait to go back. We went the unconventional way and headed upstream. We saw plenty of turtles and birds and felt to in tune with nature. It was stunning and a great way to escape! The staff made sure to explain all options. We also used a Groupon so it was a great value too! read more

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We drove 2 hours to have the experience the website provided....but no one said the bridges were closed! The sinkhole itself was very serene and relaxing but we only got around 30-40 minutes worth of an experience. read more

Whether you just want to use their pickup service or whether you want to rent a canoe/kayak and all of the gear, the Outpost crew take good care of you. Located near O'Leno and River Rise parks, this part of the river is mostly undeveloped and makes for a great place to see wild Florida. There are so many great springs along the river to explore. read more

I had an excellent time launching a rented kayak from the Santa Fe outpost. The waters of the the Santa Fe were clear and pristine during this paddle. Along the way we saw tons of wildlife including fish, lots of turtles, birds, and even some goats along the way. About 3 hours in we were picked up at the halfway point and taken back to our cars. This process made it simple and fun. Since we only went downstream, I would say this trip is great for almost anyone who has even the slightest comfort level maneuvering in a kayak or canoe (both of which are available for rent). read more

I lovedddd this place! I went on a double date here and we rented kayaks for a good price. I believe we were on a 3 mile path and they picked us up at the end. It was an enjoyable experience and the staff was very friendly. They filled my water up for free and held onto my keys so they would remain safe. They also set up our kayaks by the water and helped us get situated, I highly recommend! read more

The Original and best outfitter on the Sante Fe! We have been going to these guys for 20 years and always have a good experience. They know the river, the surrounding area, and are always on time! Would highly recommend. read more

My opinions are mixed. On one hand, the employees were efficient and friendly. On the other, they weren't completely forthcoming. Just make certain the river is passable before you go or you may be in for more of an adventure than you expect. I registered for the 7-mile trip, from the U.S. 441 bridge to Rum Island, a few days in advance and received a confirmation email. When I arrived, I was told the stretch of river I had chosen was impassable in three spots and required portages. They seemed surprised that no one told me this in the email confirmation. I was conveniently offered the option to pay $10 extra and bypass the portage areas for a ride to the U.S. 27 bridge. In other words, pay $10 more for half the trip for which I had paid. I reluctantly agreed not knowing if the portage would be across dry ground or deep muck. I received a rundown of the route and a map, and we quickly were on our way in a rickety van that probably last passed emissions in the 1980s. Our boat was carried to the water for us, and we were on our way. Shortly into our trip, we found ourselves stuck on a shoal an inch or two deep. This happened three more times, but they didn't mention any of them in the orientation. We made it through with a struggle, but I thought this was what I was avoiding by paying the $10 extra. The river itself was fine. Lots of trees and junky camps that are about to fall into the river. The water is mostly dark and a few feet deep, though it's a bit clearer at some of the springs. I only saw a ton of turtles, waterbirds, and a few average-sized fish. We reached Rum Island a few minutes before our scheduled rendezvous with the van, and he was on time to pick us up. Not a terrible experience, just one I wish I had been fully informed beforehand. read more

Best place to rent on Santa Fe. Knowledgable staff that's been there for years. Great trip!

No drama...what do you want to do. Here is your map. Here is where we will pick you up and when. Here is your canoe and have fun! Great first time experience for me and my son. read more

These guys really have a good set up. Plenty of kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards. The river is still wild Florida-- very few houses and only one bridge--- unlike many other outfitters along the Intracoastal. They welcome all ages and are genuinely glad to have you visit. And you can paddle quite a ways since they pick you up at the end--- no need to turn around! Definitely recommend for all ages and skill levels. Remember the sunscreen before you start though! read more